Therefore, O Oholibah, thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I will stir up against you your lovers from whom you turned in disgust, and I will bring them against you from every side:
English Standard Version (ESV)
What’s striking here is the ironic twist: those nations Judah once loved and sought refuge with, she now loathes after breaking alliances. God is turning her supposed protectors into her conquerors, fulfilling the principle that illicit attachments inevitably lead to ruin and hatred.
Therefore, O Oholibah, thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I will stir up against you your lovers from whom you turned in disgust, and I will bring them against you from every side:
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet Ezekiel is addressing "Oholibah" (representing Jerusalem and Judah), whom he has just described as having a history of unfaithfulness and lustful alliances with foreign powers. Having previously "turned in disgust" from her former lovers, the Babylonians, and sought a new alliance with Egypt, she has now provoked her previous partners to wrath. God declares He will use these very former allies, stirred up and directed by His hand, to bring total devastation upon her from all sides.
Ever felt betrayed by someone you once trusted? This verse reveals a terrifying twist where past affections morph into bitter animosity.
God declares He will 'stir up against you your lovers from whom you turned in disgust.' This isn't just a random turn of events; it's a direct consequence of broken trust and misplaced loyalty.
A Cycle of Betrayal
Imagine being trapped, with danger closing in from every direction. This verse paints a vivid picture of inescapable doom.
The verse concludes with a powerful image: '...and I will bring them against you on every side.' This phrase signifies the completeness and inevitability of the judgment to come.
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No Escape
Understand the original words
Oholibah · Hebrew Proper Noun
A symbolic name given by God to Jerusalem, meaning "my tent is in her," referring to the presence of the Lord in the Temple. It serves as a reminder of Jerusalem's unique status and its tragic apostasy from its covenantal husband.
Adonay YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The covenant name for God, combining YHWH (the personal, relational name of God) and Adonai (Lord/Master). It emphasizes God's sovereign authority, His relational commitment to His people, and His holiness.
This prophecy is delivered during the agonizing siege of Jerusalem. The 'lovers' Ezekiel speaks of are the very foreign powers (especially Babylon) that Judah courted for help, only to be ultimately destroyed by them. God is turning their chosen alliances into instruments of judgment.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The northern kingdom of Israel (represented by Aholah in Ezekiel's allegory) falls to the Assyrians, leading Judah (Aholibah) to seek alliances elsewhere. This event marks the beginning of Judah's dangerous reliance on foreign powers for security.
c. 626-605 BC
Rise of Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar II consolidates Babylonian power, expanding its empire. This marks the ascent of Babylon as the dominant force in the region, a power that Judah would eventually turn to, and then against.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar conquers Judah and deports a portion of its elite, including the prophet Daniel. This event signifies the growing threat of Babylon and Judah's entanglement with its imperial ambitions.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Following a revolt, Nebuchadnezzar deports more of Judah's population and leadership, including the prophet Ezekiel and King Jehoiachin. Jerusalem's temple is plundered.
c. 589-587 BC— this verse
Siege and Fall of Jerusalem
Judah rebels once more against Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar lays siege to Jerusalem, eventually destroying the city and its temple, leading to the final major deportation of its people.
586 BC
Destruction of the Temple
The Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar destroy Jerusalem's magnificent temple, the center of Judah's religious life and identity. This event fulfills the prophecy of devastation and exile.
This passage also names 'Pekod' and identifies them as Babylonians, directly linking to the nations acting as 'lovers' and instruments of judgment in Ezekiel 23:22.
Hosea 2:10It speaks of lovers (representing idols or foreign alliances) being taken away, reflecting the theme of God reclaiming His people by removing their distractions and punishing their infidelity.
Ezekiel 16:37This verse uses similar imagery of lovers turning against the unfaithful city, highlighting God's judgment against those who seek alliances outside of Him.
Lamentations 1:19This passage directly references the betrayal by allies ('lovers') who should have helped but instead brought destruction, echoing the turn of fortune for Judah described in Ezekiel.
ellicottEzekiel 23:22: "Therefore, O Aholibah, thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will raise up thy lovers against thee, from whom thy mind is alienated, and I will bring them against thee on every side;"
(22) I will bring them against thee. —Here, as everywhere, the fitness of the punishment to the sin, the correlation between them, is strongly brought out. Israel had chosen the idolatries of Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon, and these had drawn down upon her the vengeance of Him in whom alone was her refu…
bensonEzekiel 23:22: "Therefore, O Aholibah, thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will raise up thy lovers against thee, from whom thy mind is alienated, and I will bring them against thee on every side;"
Ezekiel 23:22-24 . I will raise up thy lovers against thee, &c. — I will execute my judgments upon thee, by those very Babylonians whose alliance and idolatries thou hast been so fond of, but since hast broken the league thou madest with them, contracting a new one with Egypt, and thereby hast provoke…
What’s striking here is the ironic twist: those nations Judah once loved and sought refuge with, she now loathes after breaking alliances. God is turning her supposed protectors into her conquerors, fulfilling the principle that illicit attachments inevitably lead to ruin and hatred.
The prophet Ezekiel is addressing "Oholibah" (representing Jerusalem and Judah), whom he has just described as having a history of unfaithfulness and lustful alliances with foreign powers. Having previously "turned in disgust" from her former lovers, the Babylonians, and sought a new alliance with Egypt, she has now provoked her previous partners to wrath. God declares He will use these very former allies, stirred up and directed by His hand, to bring total devastation upon her from all sides.
The prophet Ezekiel is addressing "Oholibah" (representing Jerusalem and Judah), whom he has just described as having a history of unfaithfulness and lustful alliances with foreign powers. Having previously "turned in disgust" from her former lovers, the Babylonians, and sought a new alliance with Egypt, she has now provoked her previous partners to wrath. God declares He will use these very former allies, stirred up and directed by His hand, to bring total devastation upon her from all sides.
"Therefore, O Oholibah, thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I will stir up against you your lovers from whom you turned in disgust, and I will bring them against you from every side:" — What’s striking here is the ironic twist: those nations Judah once loved and sought refuge with, she now loathes after breaking alliances. God is turning her supposed protectors into her conquero…
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Last reviewed October 2026